This will be the Story of the epic struggle between Me; Divepac who is commanding the Allied Coalition, and Chickenboy who will be commanding the Japanese Empire. We will be playing the Hakko Ichiu scenario 2 to give the Chicken a chance of surviving the first year , and under the latest official 1.06.1108r9 patch.

Edit: Forgot the HR's, of which we only have one - PPs have to be paid to release units from restricted commands.

< Message edited by DivePac88 -- 12/19/2012 2:05:41 AM >

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When you see the Southern Cross, For the first time You understand now, Why you came this way

As most people know, I normally play as the Japanese, but this time I felt like a change. So it’s my turn to get beat-up first, and then to do the beating-up later in the game (hopefully). But I think that playing the Japanese all these years, as taught me exactly the strategies needed to frustrate the chicken early in the game. Well that's the plan anyway, and as most of you guys know, most plans don’t take the opponents actions into account.

The general strategy at the start; will be building a line in the sand to stop the chickens forward momentum. Now, the trick I think is the sitting of this line along with the timing. Too far forward, and he’s going to roll right on over you. Too far back, I’ll be giving him his gains too easily and making my later offensives more difficult. Then there is supply and fuel, with fuel supplies for the South Pacific and the Australian area being a priority.

So my plan is to start from Pearl Harbor, and the US West Coast with system of base build-up and base building from scratch. Starting with Midway, Johnston, the Line Islands, Canton, and Pago Pago (Fleet support base) from the start. Then on to Fiji and Nouveau, as major forward defensive bases for the time being. I will build-up Auckland as the main logistics base for the South Pacific, stockpiling fuel and supplies.

The Reason I don’t want to use Sydney or Brisbane for the main Logistics base; is in my limited experience of fuel supplies to Australia, is that they seem to disappear overtime. This is even though I plan to turn of all the heavy industry in Australia. But I do intend to stockpile fuel on Perth, shipped from Cape town and the Middle East. This fuel I will then transship to the rest of Australia and DEI as need.

As for Basing in the Australian area; I would like to hold on to Port Moresby and Darwin, but won’t lose any sleep if I lose either or both of them. As for the rest of Australia; any of the coastal ports have the potential as major bases, and there are many towns easily built-up into major airfields. I also feel that any Japanese move onto the Australian mainland, would be the beginning of the end for them.

I'll just summarize the rest quickly; the Philippines, DEI, Malaya, and Burma are indefensible with the resources the Japanese player has in Scenario 2. But I have to delay and disrupt him with the forces available in those areas, as I am not going to commit any of my scares reinforcements to certain death. Time is what I need to build-up my line in the sand, and this is wear I get it. So stockpile supplies and build forts to holdout as long as I can, tip and run with naval forces to get up the Chickens noise is the Plan.

< Message edited by DivePac88 -- 12/20/2012 1:27:18 AM >

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When you see the Southern Cross, For the first time You understand now, Why you came this way

Hi DivePac88. Good to see you on the side of goodness and light this round.

With the last patch changes enabling stockpiling at your bases, I don't see how your fuel drop in Sydney/Brisbane would melt away if you set that switch. OTOH, the Japanese seem to operate with impunity all around Oz in the first six months so stocking your fuel elsewhere is wise. Perhaps put some at an intermediate island - like a Christmas stocking!

Any thoughts on whether to defend Singers fiercely or try to evac the troops?

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No matter how bad a situation is, you can always make it worse. - Chris Hadfield : An Astronaut's Guide To Life On Earth

Hi BB old chap, I must admit it does feel good to be Allied player, must be the Kiwi coming though in me.

I know about the stockpiling mechanics quite well, and will store some fuel on Sydney/Brisbane. But will go with Auckland for now, with a halfway station in the Pacific, maybe on Pago Pago or even Tahiti.

This is Scenario 2 and having played it as the Japanese a few times, I know Singapore is gone. I might pull one of the RAF HQs out, but that will be it. I would love to get the Aussie brigades out, but that would weaken Singapore too much and it would full too early.

Singapore while it holds out, restricts the Japanese advances into Java proper and Northern Burma. Mainly because it ties up the extra formations he needs in both areas, and blocks his access to the Straits of Malacca. So to give it up too early, far outweighs any advantage gained from the units pulled out.

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When you see the Southern Cross, For the first time You understand now, Why you came this way

Also before I forget, I would appreciate any advise or comments on my strategies and tactics. Whether it be good or bad, flattering or insulting, as I am definitely going to need it. Also I don't mind if it is coming from a longtime poster, or a newbie. As in my opinion; anyone who plays this game for five minutes or more, has something of value to add.

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When you see the Southern Cross, For the first time You understand now, Why you came this way

Glad you have decided to come visit the Allied side. For bases to develop I like Christmas Island (Line Islands) and Vava'u as bases on the way to Aukland. Vava'u has the largest potential port (size 6) outside of Aukland. If you hold Suva and Pago Pago, then it makes it very difficult to get to Vava'u by KB without being seen by PBYs.

Speaking of PBYs, I move them out of the USA (except for two) to Pearl and beyond via Seattle, Dutch Harbor, and Midway. PBYs go to Midway, Pearl, Johnson, Canton, one may go to either Palmyra or Christmas, Pago Pago, Suva, the one base at northern tip of North Island NZ (You know the name ), two to east side of Australia (look for KB to come down to hit your ports - Sydney and/or Melbourne), and one over near Perth. I send the two PBYs from Luzon to India. One at Diamond Harbor and one at Colombo. The British and CW come with only 6 planes per air group.

18 planes Kingfisher air groups come in at LA area. I train them up in Air and then Sweep at 100' to give me some USN fighter pilots. You don't have any other way except via your CVs.

I ALWAYS place a 18 plane Marine fighter group on my 5 American CVs. This will give you 45 fighters per CV and once the F4F-4 fighter comes out along with the old F4F, you have a good force to take on part of KB (anything less than all 6 CVs). Add in a CV TF with the Brit and have Force Z as a SC TF and you have a nice force to hit back with by April/May 42.

See my early post in my AAR or drop me an e-mail and I'll give you info on how I run my Allied logistics.

Good to hear from you again, and I hope you're gaming is going well. I am still real sorry about our short game, because I think that in my eagerness to play this beautiful game again. I started a Pbem campaign too early in my recovery, and selfishly messed you around I'm afraid.

I like you're idea about using Vava'u for fuel trans-storage, it is perfectly placed and would not attract the same enemy interference as Pago Pago. I had planned to build a small presents on Christmas Is, as I fallback for Canton.

I will also place my PBY's in a similar fashion to you're, and that is an excellent idea for training USN fighter pilots with Kingfishers.

I have been working-up ideas on my carrier air-groups, as in the past I had configured Japanese groups for different mission profiles. I had also considered using USMC Divebombing units along with fighters, but was going to wait for the 4th carrier for training them.

Cheers Des.

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When you see the Southern Cross, For the first time You understand now, Why you came this way

From Pearl, send a Support TF of 3 AVDs to the South Pacific. They can move up to the Luganville or lower Solomons to support a 12 plane PBY group. Since they are destroyers, they can get out quick enough.

China - I move a Corp from Chungking that you divide to cover the western bases. Once that happens, I move the few Chinese troops that you can use PP to India for rebuilding. You should have enough Chinese in China without them and you can build up three powerful Chinese Corps. There may some more Chinese around Tuyan and maybe another in the interior that could use PPs.

Java - the Dutch Do-214 FP can upgrade to Dutch PBY-5s. I do so for half.

Question on the Dutch Do-214s for you; do use use some of the on low-level naval attack, as that was use on me once, and they did score some hits.

I would like to run my carrier doctrine passed you Michael (and anyone who would care to comment; As you know my carrier warfare experience and doctrines in this game is mainly from the Japanese side, an therefore offensive in concept. So now that I am directing the USN air combat TFs, it is only natural that I will still want to use similar offensive doctrines.

I have been reviewing the USN carrier air-groups for the last few days, and have come up with a different system than the one you proposed to me. It’s not that I think there is anything wrong, with your concept of reinforcing your carrier fighter strength with USMC F4F groups. Because your Tactical concept is different than mine, and you therefore need to configure you carrier air-groups for that mission profile.

For the first 6 months of the campaign my carriers will be used for ‘tip and run’ raids only, and only when I know for certain where KB is, and not anywhere near it. So for me the ideal mission configuration is the 27x F4F for self-defence and escort, 36x SBD for search and strike, and the 15x TBD for ASW and strike. This configuration also means; that I have room for spares and can use the carriers for air-transport of air-groups to outer-Islands (very useful at this stage).

This also means that I can deploy USMC F4F/ SBD groups to outer-islands, and hopefully get a chance to attrite some of KBs pilots. In July the the F4F air-groups increase to 36, and the TBD’s increase to 18, which along with 36 SBDs and spares is an ideal air-group for taking on part of KB. That's the plan anyway, I am confident it is the best operational doctrine for my style of play. Well see what you think of it all, and of course time tell.

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When you see the Southern Cross, For the first time You understand now, Why you came this way

You can use the Dutch Do-214s for naval attacks and the PBYs for naval search missions. The Do-214s carry 300kg bombs which are nice "when" they hit.

I go for the Marine fighters for survivability. You have Buffalos and the earlier models of the F4F before the F4F-4s come out in numbers. Until the re-sizing in July you need the number to survive, IMO. By early Jan '42, you should have 4 American CVs that have a capacity of 90 planes each, but I overstack to close to 100 (stay below the 115% threshold). I like having 180 fighters to go into harms way. I like to send a small BF and construction engineer to Penryhn (between Christmas Island and Pago Pago to allow planes to ferry from Line Islands to South Pacific, if Canton Island falls.

Once you get the F4F-4 and then the TBF-Avenger that allows you to get in a sword fight vs a knife fight with the 4 hex torpedo range of the old TBs. During a brief time in May to July you can have 5 American heavy, plus Wasp. Add in the 3 Brit CVs. That will put you over 550 carrier planes. Sweet!!

You can use the Dutch Do-214s for naval attacks and the PBYs for naval search missions. The Do-214s carry 300kg bombs which are nice "when" they hit.

I go for the Marine fighters for survivability. You have Buffalos and the earlier models of the F4F before the F4F-4s come out in numbers. Until the re-sizing in July you need the number to survive, IMO. By early Jan '42, you should have 4 American CVs that have a capacity of 90 planes each, but I overstack to close to 100 (stay below the 115% threshold). I like having 180 fighters to go into harms way. I like to send a small BF and construction engineer to Penryhn (between Christmas Island and Pago Pago to allow planes to ferry from Line Islands to South Pacific, if Canton Island falls.

Once you get the F4F-4 and then the TBF-Avenger that allows you to get in a sword fight vs a knife fight with the 4 hex torpedo range of the old TBs. During a brief time in May to July you can have 5 American heavy, plus Wasp. Add in the 3 Brit CVs. That will put you over 550 carrier planes. Sweet!!

Speaking of Penryn Island, it gets a USN Port Service company as a reinforcement around Jan. 2/42. This is very helpful for unloading supply/troops/equipment. Since you have to either rescue them from the supply-less island or bring them supply, it is just as easy to send air support as to evacuate the island.

About the TBDs, in addition to the 4 hex range limit, they seem to be so overloaded with a torp that they will only take off if the weather is really good. On many occasions I had a Jap BB SCTF within 4 hexes and only the SBDs and fighters took off. A few bomb hits on the BBs but they get away.

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No matter how bad a situation is, you can always make it worse. - Chris Hadfield : An Astronaut's Guide To Life On Earth

The thing with scenario 2 is that the Japanese players get cocky so you have to keep an eye on when you can strike back. Have alook at mine and the Cap's AAR for when we got lucky.

Some of the things you can do:

1. Wait until they take Palembang then bomb the crap out of it with your Dutch uglofortresses 2. keep PoW and Repulse in DEI and sally forth to sink poorly escorted convoys 3. They will go for Darwin, reinforce Ambon as a breakwater but be prepared to lose whatever you put there 4. Don't count on keeping Tahiti, they can take it but they have to take New Caledonia first, again it's a breakwater and you will probably pose what you put there.

Mostly, just have fun.

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"Grown ups are what's left when skool is finished." "History started badly and hav been geting steadily worse." - Nigel Molesworth.